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Graphics Card Reviews: 2007 - 2011 >
Régis Jehl
Test date: June 9, 2009
The card at a glance

For our tests, HIS sent us their Radeon HD 4890 iCooler X4. The card has the same dimensions, connectivity (2x DVI + 1x YUV) and clocks as the ATI stock model, it has a HIS cooler that we found less than impressive.

At idle, it can be quiet, with a noise level we measured at 39.6 dB(A). The fan noise is audible, but you shouldn’t find it disturbing if your computer case has any sound insulation at all. The GPU stayed at a very low 46°C. We wonder why the manufacturer didn’t simply slow the fan down to reduce noise, even at the cost of a slight increase in temperature.

During intense 3D activity, the fan literally goes crazy; our meter showed a loud 58.5 dB(A). Very noisy, and the people around you might be tempted to run over and pull the plug on your f***ing machine to get a little peace. In spite of the noise levels, the chip is a relatively high 88°C.

The bundle is ultra-standard – a user guide, driver CD, DVI-to-VGA adaptor, DVI-to-HDMI adaptor, Molex-to-PCI-E (6- and 8-pin) adaptors, and a CrossFireX bridge for running two cards in parallel on compatible motherboards.


The Radeon HD 4890 is a faster version of the 4870. Launched in April 2009, it was the year’s only big new item in ATI’s high-end segment. How does it now compare to the new Radeon HD 5800 series?

Size, noise and heat generation

Physically, the 4890 and 4870 are like two peas in a pod. They are same size, same length 24.2 cm (9.5"), with a double-decker cooler. At idle, the graphics chip runs a little cooler than on the 4870, with a temperature of around 65°C. The fan is a little more audible – you can hear it distinctly even if your computer case is sound-insulated.

During intense 3D activity, the temperature was still lower than on the 4870, with the chip staying at approximately 82°C. On the other hand, the fan was quite a bit noisier, to the point of being annoying.

Energy consumption

Energy consumption is still a weak point on this model. Our test computer showed power use of 143 W at idle. A Radeon HD 5850 on the same machine brought that down to only 84 W. In load, the situation wasn’t much better, with a very high 358 W. Nough said, if you’re environmentally conscious, avoid this card. Note that the card requires two PCI-E connectors – one 6-pin and one 8-pin.

Gaming performance

Though it now qualifies to be called an older card, the Radeon HD 4890 still makes for very good gameplay on high-definition (1920 x 1200) displays. Its performance is close to that of the GeForce GTX 285, and it even does better in certain games.


General performance
Click on the image to see all our readings
and compare this model with other cards

With ArmA 2, for example, at 1920 x 1200 without the texture filters, the 4890 reached an average framerate of 40 fps. The GTX 285 didn’t do any better than 35 fps. But the trend was reversed with Far Cry 2, still at 1920 x 1200 but with the filters activated. Under those conditions, the Radeon scored 32 fps on average and the GeForce 43 fps. So NVIDIA won that round. Finally, the two cards were even with Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X at 1920 with filters enabled. Both models scored an average of 61 fps.
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Pluses

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Good 3D performance for mid-resolution monitors

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Fairly low noise at idle

Minuses

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High energy consumption

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Double decker cooler is bulky

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Noisy

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Shows its limitations at high resolution with demanding games

3
This former high-end model has now given way to a new series that’s better in all respects – higher framerates in 3D, reduced heat and power consumption. Buy this model only if you can get it at a real bargain price, but get something more recent if you can.

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